Kjersti Haugen

Kjersti Haugen is a Norwegian director.

She completed her education as a director at The National Academy of Theatre in Oslo in 2005. Since then she has lived in Trondheim, while getting established as a freelance director. From 2010, when Kristian Seltun started his term as head of Trøndelag Theatre, Kjersti Haugen was a resident director at Trøndelag Theatre.

Information

(Objekt ID 5847)
Object type Person
Functions Director
Nationality Norwegian
Gender Female
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Kjersti Haugen started her education at Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and ended as a nature manager writing her thesis on theatre in nature - about outdoors spectacles of many kinds. After life sciences she studied drama at Dragvoll, before she for two years taught at the non-degree granting college of Hallingdal. In 1998 and 1999 she was educated at École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq, and next she taught at the non-degree granting college of Romerike until 2001.

She was accepted at the direction study at The National Academy of Theatre, and Frank by Maria Tryti Vennerød, staged at The Norwegian Theatre, was her diploma assignment. She had formerly staged Maria Tryti Vennerød's Take Me by the Wings and The Lady at the Counter during The Norwegian Drama Festivals in 2002 and 2004. The autumn of 2005 she directed Norge, Midt-Norge* (Norway, Middle Norway) at Trøndelag Theatre.

Among the productions Kjersti Haugen has directed for Trøndelag Theatre are A Christmas Carol in 2007, Spring Awakening in 2010, A Doll's House and The Builders in 2011 and Ghosts in 2012.

A Christmas Carol was nominated for The Hedda Award 2008 in the category of best production for children and youth.

Kjersti Haugen also was nominated for The Hedda Award 2006 in the best direction category for The Dog in the Manger by Hålogaland Theatre.

Hundre hemmeligheter* (One Hundred Secrets) by Anne Marit Sæther, directed by Kjersti Haugen and Anne Marit Sæther, produced by Cirka Teater, Trøndelag Theatre, The Norwegian Touring Theatre and Trondheim Voices/the jazz centre Midtnorsk Jazzsenter, won The Hedda Award 2014 in the best production for children and youth category.

The Hedda Jury gave the following reason:

"The best production for children and youth award covers a wide and open field. There is necessarily a great difference between productions for the smallest children and the youth approaching life as adults. This year's winner addresses the youth, but at the same time, through a simple narrative effect, manages to describe the stages in a young life, from childhood to youth.

Through the merging of a fairytale-like fable and everyday life we are brought along on a journey through childhood and take part in events having shaped the child's mind and attitudes towards the moment when a crisis has to be handled - not by an uncomprehending child, but a reflected youth. Such a performance, with existential sombreness describing a child in development, is rare fare in Norwegian theatre.

The best production for children and youth award goes to Hundre hemmeligheter* (One Hundred Secrets)."

Kjersti Haugen directed The Secret Garden for Trøndelag Theatre in 2019. The production was nominated for The Hedda Award 2020 in the best production for children category.

SOURCES:

Trøndelag Theatre

Sceneweb on The Hedda Award, http://www.sceneweb.no/en/awarding/23836/The_Hedda_Award_2006-2006

The Hedda Award, heddaprisen.no, 19.05.2014, http://www.heddaprisen.no/pub/heddaprisen/main/?aid=1215

The Hedda Award 2014, www.heddaprisen.no, 16.06.2014, http://www.heddaprisen.no/pub/heddaprisen/main/?aid=1266

The Hedda Award, www.heddaprisen.no, 16.07.20, https://www.heddaprisen.no/nominerte/2020

*Not yet translated into English. The title within parentheses is the Norwegian title's literal meaning.

Education

2001-2005: The National Academy of Theatre, director study,

1998-1999: Ecole Jacques Lecoq, Paris

1995-1996: Minor degree (one-year study) in drama/theatre, NTNU

Artworks (1)
Title Publiseringsdato Role
Virginia's Letter 1897, Literature – Author
Awards - Nominations (1)